Houston Texans Bitten Hard By Concussions This Season

HOUSTON, TX — There’s no doubt that life as an NFL football player can be a brutal and physically demanding sport that takes its toll on the human body.

For the 2017 NFL season, that has been especially true for the Houston Texans, and even moreso when it comes to the occurrence of concussions.

There have been an extraordinary amount concussions for a lot of NFL teams this year.

However, the concussion bug has bitten the Texans franchise hard this year, and may even end the career of one of the teams star players.

Tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz and quarterback Tom Savage were both concussed in action against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

It was the third concussion this season for Fiedorowicz, with the last landing him on injured reserve and ending his season.

He suffered his first during the preseason, and then a second in the first game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, that took him out of action for 10 games.

In that game, Fiedorowicz, tight end Stephen Anderson, linebacker Brian Cushing and wide receiver Bruce Ellington all went down with head injuries, with Fiedorowicz’s injury the most severe.

This last one, however, could spell the end of his career if he can’t pass the team physical and return to the active roster.

While he is in a wait and see mode with his career, Savage will likely miss just one game.

But it was Savage’s concussion that drew the most attention, after he was slammed to the turf by 49ers defensive end Elvis Dumervil and laid on the turf with hands raised and twitching afterward.

RELATED: Texans Coach O'Brien Said He Didn't See Stadium Video Of Savage

Savage was evaluated afterward and cleared, only to be pulled from the game and placed in the NFL’s concussion protocol.

The call to re-evaluate Savage was apparently made by Head Coach Bill O’Brien, who claimed he didnt see the hit on Savage, but also said he thought the check of Savage in the blue tent went too quickly.

The fact Savage was allowed to return for the next series, only to be pulled and placed in the concussion protocol, raised a lot of questions and a few eyebrows.

The NFL’s concussion protocol includes four independent medical professionals who are responsible for watching the players to determine if they are exhibiting concussion symptoms.

Players are also encouraged to self report concussion symptoms, ESPN reported.

If a player is suspected of having a concussion, the are taken to the blue tent where they are looked over by a neurologist and the team doctor, who can then make the judgement if the player is OK, or not.

If they are not, they are sent to the locker room for a more thorough evaluation by the neurlolgist and the team doctor.

Ivf a player returns to the game, the team doctor has to check on the player periodically, which was done in Savage’s case.

Players who are in the concussion protocol have to undergo and complete a five step process before they are allowed to return to the field, which usually means the affected player may miss a game or two, depending on the severity of the injury, or an entire season, like Fiedorowicz.

Image: A Houston Texans football helmet prior to the start of the Arizona Cardinals versus the Texans in an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin).

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